Port of Dover expects new EU border controls to be in place by November 2025

British authorities do not expect the EU’s incoming Entry/Exit System (EES) to begin until at least November 2025. 

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has told the Port of Dover to expect a November 2025 launch of the system, according to the port. 

When approached by The Connexion, a spokeswoman for the port said they “have no official confirmation but we are preparing for a potential phased launch in November”. This is their working hypothesis, based on estimates provided by the DfT, she said.

“It [EES] is definitely not expected to start this summer,” the spokeswoman added. “We are just carrying on building the infrastructure and waiting for some tech from the French, apart from that, as I say everything is focused on a go-live in November.”

It mirrors earlier comments made to The Connexion by the head of the French Airports Union (UAF) late last year, who said autumn 2025 was the earliest the scheme was likely to start – though he thought even that to be optimistic if, as is now expected, a new EU law must be passed to allow the ‘phased start’ which is now favoured by the EU. 

The original EES regulations assumed the system would start at all external Schengen area borders (including international airports, ports, stations etc) from day one and that all relevant travellers would be entered into the system immediately.

The 'phased start' would, it is proposed, allow for it to start only at certain border points and not others and/or for data to be collected from only a limited number of travellers.  The number of border points and passengers concerned would then rise over a six-month period until the system is fully-operational. 

Read more: Britons, Americans, other non-EU travellers: New problem for digital border checks

The Connexion asked the DfT for comment, which forwarded us to the UK Home Office as the department overseeing EES on the UK side.

The Home Office, however, declined to confirm the November estimate, saying that as the EES is an EU scheme, "implementation timelines are a matter for them". 

A spokesperson added: "We are supporting ports and carriers to make sure they have the right technology and processes in place so EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible, while also working with the European Commission, France and local authorities to ensure we are prepared.”

Regulations to be phased-in

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister told local media KentOnline they were using a "DfT planning assumption that it will be coming in this November" and they are “very pleased the EU has adopted a different ['phased'] approach”.

He said: “A progressive implementation should allow us to ramp up the EES registration process in line with making certain that the system can cope.” 

It is also thought that the phased approach will help ease congestion during the initial launch.

For the system to come in through a phased method however, EU sources have confirmed to The Connexion that a new regulation is required. A draft has been prepared by the European Commission but will have to be adopted by both the EU’s council (including home affairs ministers from member states) and parliament.

EU sources say it is possible this will be done in time for the scheme to come into operation this year, but there is no precise timeline as yet. 

However, in his comments to our media, the UAF’s general delegate cast doubt on the likelihood that a new regulation would be ready in time for a 2025 launch.

The EU is yet to publicly announce an updated timeline for rolling out the EES, nor officially confirm the ‘phased’ implementation, though we understand this is not now in doubt, as it is favoured by the commission and the EU-Lisa IT agency with which it is working to put the system in place. The idea has also already received support in principle from the EU council.

EES will affect all non-EU/EEA/Swiss citizen visitors to the EU in future, though holders of long-stay visas and residency cards, will not be concerned. 

They will be required to have a scan of the fingers of the right hand taken, and a facial photograph, as well as answering questions about their visit on their first trip to the Schengen area after the scheme is implemented.

These will be logged on a database along with their passport information and the dates of their entries and exits from the area.

Read more: EES: What are next steps for EU’s new digital border checks?